Flipping the Switch by Brigham Vaughn

EPILOGUE

Logan waved across the crowded room. Ann brightened and tugged Marc over to their table. Logan rose and pressed a kiss to her cheek, then shook her husband’s hand. “Hey, good to see you both.”

“You too.” Marc helped Ann into her seat. “It was so nice of Jude to invite us. Please thank him for us.”

“He’ll be out in a bit,” Logan said.

He glanced around the restaurant, pleasure bubbling up inside him at the sight of the space. The restored wooden floors gleamed brightly, their years of use softened and refined by a good finish, their age contrasting nicely with the modern look of the high ceilings with their exposed ductwork and sleek lighting. Black tufted leather booths nestled up against a brick wall and glass-fronted shelves lined the opposite wall, displaying bottles of wine and liquor. Tables topped in gray linen contrasted with the warm, rich brown leather on the chairs. But nothing beat Tony’s bar, gleaming under the sculptural pendant lights above it.

Several people milled around, sipping cocktails and chatting. Someone ran a hand along the bar, their expression appreciative as they talked to Tony, and he held out a card. He was still a little shy about his work, but he was gradually adjusting to the idea of being the face of the company.

Logan had officially stepped down at Shaw Construction, though he was still in and out for meetings as they made the transition of handing the business over to Camille.

“What will you do?” she’d asked curiously a couple of weeks ago as they’d sat in the corner office he’d been clearing out. She’d move in once he was done.

He shrugged. “Right now, I’m focused on getting Tony’s and Jude’s businesses up and running.”

“Ever thought about business consultation?” she’d asked. “Helping other people set up successful small businesses, I mean.”

A little jolt went through him. “I hadn’t considered it, but I do like that idea.”

She grinned, her bold red lipstick contrasting with her rich brown skin. There had been plenty of people pissed off that he’d turned his company over to a woman, and a black one at that. But Logan had felt nothing but peace as he’d signed over the paperwork. She wasn’t his child, but she’d learned the business from him and loved it like he did. He could ask for nothing better.

She’d run it with integrity and a bold hand, and he thought she might take it places he could never have dreamed of. He’d done what he loved for years but now it was time to step back and focus on something smaller scale. Something that allowed him to be home more. Something that would let him be there for the men he loved.

It wasn’t a sad ending or a bittersweet parting but a bright future he had to look forward to. And how many men his age could say that?

“Logan?” Now he turned to look at his ex-wife, who was smiling at him. “I said you’re a lucky man.”

“The luckiest,” he agreed.

And then Jude stepped out of the kitchen, bright smile gleaming as he tossed a wayward lock of blond hair out of his eyes and smoothed down his white chef’s coat, the edge of the leather cuff he wore on his wrist peeping out. A reminder of his submission to Logan. A collar that wasn’t a collar. Tony wore a leather collar made from two strands twined together, each one representing Logan and Jude’s ownership of him.

Logan wore a disc engraved with their initials on a silver chain that kept them close to his heart.

Jude cleared his throat. “I want to thank you all for coming.” His voice rose over the crowd. “Please, take your seats. I want to say a few words first, but I promise we’ll get to the good stuff quickly.” He threw out a little wink.

A bell over the door jangled. Logan turned to see Jackson and Fiona Maddox. Their expressions were a little sheepish as they stepped inside. Jackson cleared his throat. “Sorry, we had some difficulty parking. This is a busy town, isn’t it?”

Jude straightened. Only Logan and maybe Tony would have detected the little quiver of emotion that crossed his face at the sight of his parents.

“It is. Please, have a seat,” Jude said, clearing his throat. “Someone will bring out a drink for you in a moment. I was just giving a little speech. I figured we’d do a brief toast and then begin dinner.”

Jackson looked slightly uncomfortable as he and his wife slid into the only empty seats left, but his expression was attentive as Jude spoke.

“I’d like to thank all of you for coming this evening. Opening a restaurant has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. You’re all here because you’ve helped me in one way or another throughout my life and I’m grateful. I wouldn’t be standing here seeing my dream become a reality without all of you, and I don’t have words to tell you how happy I am today. I’d like to thank Tony and Logan in particular for putting their blood, sweat, and tears into this place for me and loving me even when I’m difficult.”

Logan and Tony both shook their heads. Jude was never difficult. Energetic, passionate, opinionated, maybe. Pushy, perhaps. But he was easy to love. Logan held out a hand and Tony interlaced their fingers together as Jude continued.

“So I’d like to make a toast to all of you.” He lifted a glass, and Logan used his left hand to raise his own Champagne flute. “To family.”

“To family,” everyone echoed and drank.

The room fell silent for a moment. Logan had considered making a speech but in truth, he’d said all he needed to. Everyone in the room knew his feelings for Jude and Tony and he would spend the rest of his life telling them how he felt. How important they were to him.

Jude clapped his hands. “We’ll begin with appetizers.”

Staff dressed in black carried wooden platters into the room and set them down at the long tables, where everyone could help themselves family-style.

“You know, I was a little bit nervous about coming to a steakhouse,” Ann said a while later. “I wasn’t sure there would be much to eat for a vegetarian but there are so many delicious options!”

“Jude is pretty amazing,” Logan said with a smile.

“Aren’t I?”

Logan looked up laughing as Jude slipped into the seat beside him. “You are.” Still grinning, he pressed his lips to Jude’s.

* * *

Dinner passed very pleasantly as Logan ate, drank, and caught up with friends. Archie and Jane couldn’t make it, but they’d sent Jude a nice card and gift, and Logan, Jude, and Tony would try to make it out to Chicago sometime this spring or summer, depending on how busy Jude’s restaurant was. From the look of things, it would be busy. Jude had been forced to turn away many reservations for Valentine’s Day the following week and was booked through the end of March. It was very encouraging.

Desserts were set up along a portion of the bar, and Logan mingled as the servers cleared the tables. Jude had disappeared into the kitchen for most of dinner, so Logan found himself de facto host for the evening. He didn’t mind. Though he was surprised when the bell jangled again and a tall man with a shock of red hair stepped inside, followed by a guy with dark silver-streaked hair and a muscular body.

Donovan and Tyler. Jude’s ex and his new boyfriend/submissive. They’d met at a munch they’d all attended a while back at Donovan’s restaurant, the Hawk Point Tavern. Tyler was a bartender there but they’d both attended as members of the community that evening. Logan and Tony had been a bit apprehensive about the idea of munches, but Jude’s charm had led the way. And people there had been helpful with suggestions for how to navigate an openly poly and kinky relationship.

Jude and Donovan had even mended fences and Logan wasn’t surprised when Jude hurried out from the kitchen to greet them. He smiled brightly at Donovan and Tyler. “Hey. Thanks for stopping by. I know it was hard for you to leave the tavern, but I am glad you were able to get away for a bit.”

“I wanted to come see my competition,” Donovan teased as he smoothed a hand over his red beard.

Truthfully, they weren’t really in competition. The steakhouse was higher end, serving a different clientele than the tavern which focused more on homey comfort foods. Both delicious, just different.

Jude just laughed, looking relaxed and at ease.

Donovan held out a hand. “Nice to see you again, Logan.”

They’d met at a Maddox family party years ago.

“Nice to see you too.” Logan’s words were sincere.

Jude tilted his head to the side. “Want to see my kitchen?”

“Yes,” Donovan said with a little laugh as he turned to go. “I’m honestly jealous. I had a lot of input into the kitchen at the tavern but building completely from scratch sounds amazing.”

Some men might have been jealous of the ex being around, but Logan felt completely secure in his relationship with Jude and Tony.

“The place looks nice,” Tyler said and Logan glanced over. He was an interesting guy. Fairly quiet and he often seemed to be studying the world around him with an intent gaze. Maybe his former military service coming into play. But his smile was warm and he and Donovan seemed rock-solid.

“It was built with love,” Logan said softly.

* * *

“You really do love both of them, don’t you?” Jackson said grudgingly.

Logan turned to look at him. “I do.”

Their friendship, if it could be called that now, had cooled. But it was encouraging that he’d made the trip to Pendleton tonight.

“I can see that.” Jackson cleared his throat. “I shouldn’t have said what I did about you going after Jude when he was younger. I know you wouldn’t have done that.”

“You’re damn right.”

“But he’s happy, isn’t he?”

Logan glanced over at Jude, whose smile lit up the room as he joked and talked with Jarod and Forrest, and a couple of other guys they’d met and hit it off with at the latest munch—Alexander and Neil.

“Jude is who he was always meant to be,” Logan said softly as he looked over at Tony, who was handing out more business cards. A boost of confidence had done wonders for his sales technique.

“They both are,” he added.

Jackson looked at Tony and nodded. “And you’re happy with them.”

“I am.” He surveyed the room, spying Mike talking to Fiona Shaw and June Frazier, Donovan’s grandmother, who was an absolute riot. At another table, Jude’s friend Preston—an honest-to-God Hollywood celebrity—sat talking with another friend of theirs.

“Don’t you see, Jackson?” Logan asked, gesturing to encompass the room. “Look at what Jude does here. The way he brings people together. That’s something rare.”

“I didn’t see it before,” Jackson admitted gruffly. “But I do now.”

“Well, maybe it’s time you tell him that.”

Logan settled a hand on Jackson’s shoulder and squeezed once before he walked away in search of a drink, a bite of dessert, and most importantly, his boys.

He’d just found Tony and tugged him over to where Jude stood when Jackson cleared his throat. “May I say something?”

Jude’s eyes widened and he reached for Logan’s hand, but he nodded. “Of course.”

Logan held his breath as Jackson spoke. “As most of you know, my son Jude and I have had an, uh, rocky relationship. I had expectations about him following in my footsteps and I—I wasn’t very gracious when he chose a different route.”

That was putting it mildly, but for a man as proud as Jackson Maddox, that was a huge concession.

“But I’ve come to realize how wrong I was and how close I came to losing my son. And while Jude, Logan, and Tony’s relationship took me by surprise, I can see I was wrong there too.” He cleared his throat again. “So I’d like to propose a toast to Jude’s hard work and all he’s achieved.” He lifted his glass. “To doing what you love.”

“To doing what you love,” the crowd echoed, and Logan drank deeply to that.

He’d come to Pendleton Bay to help a friend out of a jam, but he’d found so much more than that.

The love of two incredible men who had helped him build a life better than he’d ever dreamed, and a new place to call home.

* * *

It’s hard to believe it, but this is officially the end of the Naughty in Pendleton series! I have loved these guys so much that it’s hard to leave but I have so many other exciting projects lined up for the next six months that I’m eager to dive into.

The good news is, I won’t be leaving Pendleton Bay completely! If you were curious to learn more about Preston and Blake, their story will be a standalone holiday novel in the Pendleton universe called Preston’s Christmas Escape featuring a Hollywood actor hiding from the paparazzi, a reclusive potter, predicament bondage, lingerie, and a second chance at love. Pre-order it here.